Tahiti--Aspect--Vegetation on the slope of the mountains--View
of Eimeo--Excursion in the interior--Profound ravines--Succession
of waterfalls--Number of wild useful plants--Temperance of
inhabitants--Their moral state--Parliament convened--New Zealand
--Bay of islands--Hippahs--Absence of all government--Excursion
to Waimate--Missionary establishment--English weeds now run
wild--Waiomio--Funeral service--Sail from New Zealand.
TAHITI AND NEW ZEALAND.
OCTOBER 20TH.--The survey of the Galapagos Archipelago being
concluded, a course was steered towards Tahiti; and we commenced our
long passage of 3200 miles. In the course of a few days we sailed out
of the gloomy and clouded region, which extends during the winter far
from the coast of South America. We then enjoyed bright and clear
weather, while running pleasantly along at the rate of 150 or 160
miles a day before a steady trade-wind. The temperature in this more
central part of the Pacific, is higher than near the American shore.
The thermometer in the poop cabin, both by night and day, ranged
between 80° and 83°, which to my feelings was quite delightful; but
with one degree higher, the effect became oppressive. We passed
through the Dangerous or Low Archipelago, and saw several of those
most curious rings of land, just rising above the edge of the water,
which have been called Lagoon Islands. A long and brilliantly-white
beach is capped by a margin of green vegetation; and this strip
appears on both hands rapidly to narrow away in the distance, and
then sinks beneath the horizon. From the mast-head a wide expanse of
smooth water can be seen within the annular margin of land. These
low islands bear no proportion to the vast ocean out of which they
abruptly rise; and it seems wonderful, that such weak intruders are
not overwhelmed, by the all-powerful and never-tiring waves of that
great sea, miscalled the Pacific.
NOVEMBER 15TH.--At daylight, Tahiti, an island which must for ever
remain as classical to the voyager in the South Sea, was in view. At
this distance the appearance was not very inviting. The luxuriant
vegetation of the lower parts was not discernible, and as the clouds
rolled past, the wildest and most precipitous peaks showed themselves
towards the centre of the island. As soon as we came to an anchor
in Matavai Bay, we were surrounded by canoes. This was our Sunday,
but the Monday of Tahiti: if the case had been reversed, we should
not have received a single visit; for the injunction not to launch
a canoe on the sabbath is rigidly obeyed. After dinner we landed to
enjoy all the delights of the first impressions produced by a new
country, and that country the charming Tahiti. A crowd of men, women,
and children, was collected on the memorable point Venus, ready to
receive us with laughing, merry faces. They marshalled us towards
the house of Mr. Wilson, the missionary of the district, who met us
on the road, and gave us a very friendly reception. After sitting a
short time in his house, we separated to walk about, but returned
there in the evening.
The land capable of cultivation is scarcely in any part more than
a fringe of low alluvial soil, accumulated round the base of the
mountains, and protected from the waves of the sea by a coral reef,
which encircles at a distance the entire line of coast. The reef
is broken in several parts so that ships can pass through, and
the lake of smooth water within thus affords a safe harbour, as
well as a channel for the native canoes. The low land which comes
down to the beach of coral sand, is covered by the most beautiful
productions of the intertropical regions. In the midst of bananas,
orange, cocoa-nut, and bread-fruit trees, spots are cleared where
yams, sweet potatoes, sugar-cane, and pineapples, are cultivated.
Even the brushwood is a fruit-tree, namely, the guava, which from its
abundance is as noxious as a weed. In Brazil I have often admired
the contrast of varied beauty in the banana, palm, and orange-tree:
here we have in addition the bread-fruit, conspicuous from its large,
glossy, and deeply digitated leaf. It is admirable to behold groves
of a tree, sending forth its branches with the force of an English
oak, loaded with large and most nutritious fruit. However little on
most occasions utility explains the delight received from any fine
prospect, in this case it cannot fail to enter as an element in the
feeling. The little winding paths, cool from the surrounding shade,
led to the scattered houses; and the owners of these every where gave
us a cheerful and most hospitable reception.
I was pleased with nothing so much as with the inhabitants. There is
a mildness in the expression of their countenances, which at once
banishes the idea of a savage; and an intelligence, which shows they
are advancing in civilization. Their dress is as yet incongruous;
no settled costume having taken the place of the ancient one. But
even in its present state, it is far from being so ridiculous as it
has been described by travellers of a few years’ standing. Those who
can afford it wear a white shirt, and sometimes a jacket, with a
wrapper of coloured cotton round their middles; thus making a short
petticoat, like the chilipa of the Gauchos. This dress appears so
general with the chiefs, that it will probably become the settled
fashion. No one, even to the queen, wears shoes or stockings; and
only the chiefs have a straw hat on their heads. The common people,
when working, keep the upper part of their bodies uncovered; and it
is then that the Tahitians are seen to advantage. They are very tall,
broad-shouldered, athletic, and with well-proportioned limbs. It has
been somewhere remarked, that it requires little habit to make a
darker tint of the skin more pleasing and natural, even to the eye
of an European, than his own colour. To see a white man bathing by
the side of a Tahitian, was like comparing a plant bleached by the
gardener’s art, with one growing in the open fields. Most of the men
are tattooed: and the ornaments follow the curvature of the body so
gracefully, that they have a very pleasing and elegant effect. One
common figure, varying only in its detail, branches somewhat like a
tuft of palm-leaves[1] from the line of the backbone, and curls round
each side. The simile may be a fanciful one, but I thought the body
of a man thus ornamented, was like the trunk of a noble tree embraced
by a delicate creeper.
Many of the older people had their feet covered with small figures,
placed in order so as to resemble a sock. This fashion, however, is
partly gone by, and has been succeeded by others. Here, although each
man must for ever abide by the whim which reigned in his early days,
yet fashion is far from immutable. An old man has thus his age for
ever stamped on his body, and he cannot assume the airs of a young
dandy. The women are also tattooed in the same manner as the men, and
very commonly on their fingers. An unbecoming fashion in one respect
is now almost universal: it is that of cutting the hair, or rather
shaving it, from the upper part of the head, in a circular form, so
as to leave only an outer ring of hair. The missionaries have tried
to persuade the people to change this habit: but it is the fashion,
and that is sufficient answer at Tahiti as well as at Paris. I was
much disappointed in the personal appearance of the women; they are
far inferior in every respect to the men. The custom of wearing a
flower in the back of the head, or through a small hole in each ear,
is pretty; the flower is generally either white or scarlet, and
like the Camelia Japonica. They wear also a sort of crown of woven
cocoa-nut leaves, as a shade to their eyes. The women appear to be in
greater want of some becoming costume, even than the men.
Nearly all understand a little English;--that is, they know the names
of common things, and by the aid of this, together with signs, a
lame sort of conversation could be carried on. In returning in the
evening to the boat, we stopped to witness a very pretty scene;
numbers of children were playing on the beach, and had lighted
bonfires, which illuminated the placid sea and surrounding trees.
Others, in circles, were singing Tahitian verses. We seated ourselves
on the sand, and joined their party. The songs were impromptu, and I
believe related to our arrival: one little girl sang a line, which
the rest took up in parts, forming a very pretty chorus. The whole
scene made us unequivocally aware that we were seated on the shores
of an island in the South Sea.
NOVEMBER 17TH.--This day is reckoned in the log-book as Tuesday the
17th instead of Monday the 16th, owing to our, so far successful,
chase of the sun. Before breakfast the ship was hemmed in by a
flotilla of canoes, and when the natives were allowed to come
on board, I suppose their numbers could not have been under two
hundred. It was the opinion of every one, that it would have been
difficult to have picked out an equal number from any other nation,
who would have given so little trouble. Every body brought something
for sale: shells were the main article of trade. The Tahitians now
fully understand the value of money, and prefer it to old clothes or
other articles. The various coins, however, of English and Spanish
denomination puzzle them, and they never seemed to think the small
silver quite secure until changed into dollars. Some of the chiefs
have accumulated considerable sums of money. One not long since
offered eight hundred dollars (about 160 pounds sterling) for a small
vessel; and frequently they purchase whale-boats and horses, at the
rate of from fifty to a hundred dollars.
After breakfast I went on shore, and ascended the slope of the
nearest part of the mountain, to an elevation between two and three
thousand feet. The form of the land is rather singular, and may be
understood by explaining its hypothetical origin. I believe the
interior mountains once stood as a smaller island in the sea; and
that around their steep flanks, streams of lava and beds of sediment
were accumulated under water, in a conical mass. This, after being
raised, has been cut by numerous profound ravines, which all diverge
from the common centre; the intervening ridges being flat-topped, and
belonging to one slope. Having crossed the narrow girt of inhabited
and fertile land, I followed the line of one of these ridges; having
on each hand, very steep and smooth-sided valleys. The vegetation
is singular, consisting almost exclusively of small dwarf ferns,
which, higher up, are mingled with coarse grass. The appearance was
not very dissimilar from that on some of the Welsh hills; and this
being so close above the orchard of tropical plants on the coast,
was very surprising. At the highest point which I reached, trees
again appeared. Of these three zones of comparative luxuriance,
the lower one owes its moisture, and therefore fertility, to its
extreme flatness; for being scarcely raised above the level of the
sea, the water, which it receives from the higher land, drains away
slowly. The upper zone extends into a moister atmosphere; whilst the
intermediate part, not being benefited by either of these advantages,
is barren. The wood in the upper part was very pretty; tree-ferns
having replaced the cocoa-nuts of the coast. It must not, however,
be supposed that these woods at all equal the forests of Brazil. In
an island, that vast number of productions which characterizes a
continent, cannot be expected to occur.
From the point which I attained, there was a good view of the distant
island of Eimeo, dependant on the same sovereign with Tahiti. On
the lofty and broken pinnacles, white massive clouds were piled up,
which formed an island in the blue sky, as Eimeo itself did in the
blue ocean. The island, with the exception of one small gateway
is completely encircled by a reef. At this distance, a narrow but
well-defined line of brilliant white was alone visible, where the
waves first encountered the wall of coral. The glassy water of the
lagoon was included within this line; and out of it the mountains
rose abruptly. The effect was very pleasing, and might aptly be
compared to a framed engraving, where the frame represented the
breakers, the marginal paper the lagoon, and the drawing the island
itself. When in the evening I descended from the mountain, a man,
whom I had pleased with a trifling gift, met me, bringing with him
hot roasted bananas, a pine-apple, and cocoa-nuts. After having
walked under a burning sun, I do not know any thing more delicious
than the milk of a young cocoa-nut. Pine-apples are here so abundant,
that the people eat them in the same wasteful manner as we might
turnips. They are of an excellent flavour,--perhaps even better
than those cultivated in England; and this I believe is the highest
compliment which can be paid to a fruit, or indeed to any thing
else. Before going on board I went to Mr. Wilson, who interpreted to
the Tahitian, who had paid me so adroit an attention, that I wanted
him and another man to accompany me on a short excursion into the
mountains.
NOVEMBER 18TH.--In the morning I came on shore early, bringing
with me some provisions in a bag, and two blankets for myself and
servant. These were lashed to each end of a pole, and thus carried
by my Tahitian companions: from custom these men are able to walk
for a whole day, with as much as fifty pounds at each end. I told
my guides to provide themselves with food and clothing: but for the
latter, they said their skins were sufficient, and for the former,
that there was plenty of food in the mountains. The line of march
was the valley of Tia-auru, in which the river flows that enters
the sea by Point Venus. This is one of the principal streams in the
island, and its source lies at the base of the loftiest pinnacles,
which attain the elevation of about 7000 feet. The whole island may
be considered as one group of mountains, so that the only way to
penetrate the interior is to follow up the valleys. Our road, at
first, lay through the wood which bordered each side of the river;
and the glimpses of the lofty central peaks, seen as through an
avenue, with here and there a waving cocoa-nut tree on one side,
were extremely picturesque. The valley soon began to narrow, and the
sides to grow lofty and more precipitous. After having walked between
three and four hours, we found the width of the ravine scarcely
exceeded that of the bed of the stream. On each hand the walls were
nearly vertical; yet from the soft nature of the volcanic strata,
trees and a rank vegetation sprung from every projecting ledge. These
precipices must have been some thousand feet high: and the whole
formed a mountain gorge, far more magnificent than any thing which
I had ever before beheld. Until the mid-day sun stood vertically
over the ravine, the air had felt cool and damp, but now it became
very sultry. Shaded by a ledge of rock, beneath a façade of columnar
lava, we ate our dinner. My guides had already procured a dish of
small fish and fresh-water prawns. They carried with them a small
net stretched on a hoop; and where the water was deep and in eddies,
they dived, and like otters, by their eyesight followed the fish into
holes and corners, and thus secured them.
The Tahitians have the dexterity of amphibious animals in the water.
An anecdote mentioned by Ellis shows how much they feel at home in
that element. When a horse was landing for Pomarre in 1817, the
slings broke, and it fell into the water: immediately the natives
jumped overboard, and by their cries and vain efforts at assistance,
almost drowned the animal. As soon, however, as it reached the shore,
the whole population took to flight, and tried to hide themselves
from the man-carrying-pig, as they christened the horse.
A little higher up, the river divided itself into three little
streams. The two northern ones were impracticable, owing to a
succession of waterfalls, which descended from the jagged summit
of the highest mountain; the other to all appearance was equally
inaccessible, but we managed to ascend it by a most extraordinary
road. The sides of the valley were here nearly precipitous; but, as
frequently happens with stratified rocks, small ledges projected,
which were thickly covered by wild bananas, liliaceous plants,
and other luxuriant productions of the tropics. The Tahitians, by
climbing amongst these ledges, searching for fruit, had discovered
a track by which the whole precipice could be scaled. The first
ascent from the valley was very dangerous: for it was necessary to
pass the face of a naked rock, by the aid of ropes, which we brought
with us. How any person discovered that this formidable spot was the
only point where the side of the mountain was practicable, I cannot
imagine. We then cautiously walked along one of the ledges, till
we came to the stream already alluded to. This ledge formed a flat
spot, above which a beautiful cascade, of some hundred feet, poured
down its waters, and beneath it another high one emptied itself into
the main stream. From this cool and shady recess, we made a circuit
to avoid the overhanging cascade. As before, we followed little
projecting ledges, the apparent danger being partly hidden by the
thickness of the vegetation. In passing from one of the ledges to
another, there was a vertical wall of rock. One of the Tahitians, a
fine active man, placed the trunk of a tree against this, climbed up
it, and then by the aid of crevices reached the summit. He fixed the
ropes to a projecting point, and lowered them for us, then hauled
up a dog which accompanied us, and lastly our luggage. Beneath the
ledge on which the dead tree was placed the precipice must have been
five or six hundred feet deep; and if the abyss had not been partly
concealed by the overhanging ferns and lilies, my head would have
turned giddy, and nothing should have induced me to have attempted
it. We continued to ascend sometimes along ledges, and sometimes
along knife-edged ridges, having on each hand profound ravines. In
the Cordillera, I have seen mountains on a far grander scale, but for
abruptness, no part of them at all comparable to this. In the evening
we reached a flat little spot on the banks of the same stream,
which I have mentioned as descending by a chain of waterfalls. Here
we bivouacked for the night. On each side of the ravine there were
great beds of the Feyé, or mountain-banana, covered with ripe fruit.
Many of these plants were from twenty to twenty-five feet high, and
from three to four in circumference. By the aid of strips of bark
for twine, the stems of bamboos for rafters, and the large leaf of
the banana for a thatch, the Tahitians in a few minutes built an
excellent house; and with the withered leaves made a soft bed.
They then proceeded to make a fire, and cook our evening meal. A
light was procured by rubbing a blunt-pointed stick in a groove made
in another (as if with the intention of deepening it), until by
friction the dust became ignited. A peculiarly white and very light
wood (the _Hibiscus tiliaceus_) is alone used for this purpose: it
is the same which serves for poles to carry any burden, and for the
floating outrigger to steady the canoe. The fire was produced in
a few seconds: but, to a person who does not understand the art,
it requires the greatest exertion; as I found, before at last, to
my great pride, I succeeded in igniting the dust. The Gaucho in
the Pampas uses a different method: taking an elastic stick about
eighteen inches long, he presses one end on his breast, and the other
(which is pointed) in a hole in a piece of wood, and then rapidly
turns the curved part, like a carpenter’s centre-bit. The Tahitians
having made a small fire of sticks, placed a score of stones, of
about the size of cricket-balls, on the burning wood. In about ten
minutes’ time the sticks were consumed and the stones hot. They had
previously folded up in small parcels of leaves, pieces of beef,
fish, ripe and unripe bananas, and the tops of the wild arum. These
green parcels were laid in a layer between two layers of the hot
stones, and the whole then covered up with earth, so that no smoke or
steam could escape. In about a quarter of an hour, the whole was most
deliciously cooked. The choice green parcels were now laid on a cloth
of banana-leaves, and with a cocoa-nut shell we drank the cool water
of the running stream; and thus we enjoyed our rustic meal.
I could not look on the surrounding plants without admiration. On
every side were forests of banana; the fruit of which, though serving
for food in various ways, lay in heaps decaying on the ground. In
front of us there was an extensive brake of wild sugar-cane; and the
stream was shaded by the dark green knotted stem of the Ava,--so
famous in former days for its powerful intoxicating effects. I chewed
a piece, and found that it had an acrid and unpleasant taste, which
would have induced any one at once to have pronounced it poisonous.
Thanks be to the missionaries, this plant now thrives only in these
deep ravines, innocuous to every one. Close by I saw the wild arum,
the roots of which, when well baked, are good to eat, and the young
leaves better than spinach. There was the wild yam, and a liliaceous
plant called Ti, which grows in abundance, and has a soft brown
root, in shape and size like a huge log of wood. This served us
for dessert, for it is as sweet as treacle, and with a pleasant
taste. There were, moreover, several other wild fruits, and useful
vegetables. The little stream, besides its cool water, produced eels
and cray-fish. I did indeed admire this scene, when I compared it
with an uncultivated one in the temperate zones. I felt the force of
the observation, that man, at least savage man, with his reasoning
powers only partly developed, is the child of the tropics.
As the evening drew to a close, I strolled beneath the gloomy shade
of the bananas up the course of the stream. My walk was soon brought
to a close, by coming to a waterfall between two and three hundred
feet high; and again above this there was another. I mention all
these waterfalls in this one brook, to give a general idea of the
inclination of the land. In the little recess where the water fell,
it did not appear that a breath of wind had ever entered. The leaves
of the banana, damp with spray, possessed an unbroken edge, instead
of being split, as generally is the case, into a thousand shreds.
From our position, almost suspended on the mountain-side, there were
glimpses into the depths of the neighbouring valleys; and the lofty
points of the central mountains, towering up within sixty degrees of
the zenith, hid half the evening sky. Thus seated, it was a sublime
spectacle to watch the shades of night gradually obscuring the last
and highest pinnacles.
Before we laid ourselves down to sleep, the elder Tahitian fell on
his knees, and with closed eyes repeated a long prayer in his native
tongue. He prayed as a Christian should do, with fitting reverence,
and without the fear of ridicule or any ostentation of piety. At our
meals neither of the men would taste food, without saying beforehand
a short grace. Those travellers, who think that a Tahitian prays only
when the eyes of the missionary are fixed on him, should have slept
with us that night on the mountain-side. Before morning it rained
very heavily; but the good thatch of banana-leaves kept us dry.
NOVEMBER 19TH.--At daylight my friends, after their morning prayer,
prepared an excellent breakfast in the same manner as in the evening.
They themselves certainly partook of it largely; indeed I never saw
any men eat nearly so much. I should suppose such capacious stomachs
must be the result of a large part of their diet consisting of fruit
and vegetables, which contain, in a given bulk, a comparatively
small portion of nutriment. Unwittingly, I was the means of my
companions breaking (as I afterwards learned) one of their own laws
and resolutions. I took with me a flask of spirits, which they could
not resolve to refuse; but as often as they drank a little, they put
their fingers before their mouths, and uttered the word “Missionary.”
About two years ago, although the use of the ava was prevented,
drunkenness from the introduction of spirits became very prevalent.
The missionaries prevailed on a few good men, who saw their country
rapidly going to ruin, to join with them in a Temperance Society.
From good sense or shame all the chiefs and the queen were at last
persuaded to join it. Immediately a law was passed, that no spirits
should be allowed to be introduced into the island, and that he who
sold and he who bought the forbidden article, should be punished by
a fine. With remarkable justice, a certain period was allowed for
stock in hand to be sold, before the law came into effect. But when
it did, a general search was made in which even the houses of the
missionaries were not exempted, and all the ava (as the natives call
all ardent spirits) was poured on the ground. When one reflects on
the effect of intemperance on the aborigines of the two Americas,
I think it will be acknowledged, that every well-wisher of Tahiti
owes no common debt of gratitude to the missionaries. As long as the
little island of St. Helena remained under the government of the East
India Company, spirits, owing to the great injury they had produced,
were not allowed to be imported; but wine was supplied from the Cape
of Good Hope. It is rather a striking, and not very gratifying fact,
that in the same year that spirits were allowed to be sold on that
island, their use was banished from Tahiti by the free will of the
people.
After breakfast we proceeded on our journey. As my object was merely
to see a little of the interior scenery, we returned by another
track, which descended into the main valley lower down. For some
distance we wound, by a most intricate path, along the side of the
mountain which formed the valley. In the less precipitous parts we
passed through extensive groves of the wild banana. The Tahitians,
with their naked, tattooed bodies, their heads ornamented with
flowers, and seen in the dark shade of the woods, would have formed a
fine picture of man, inhabiting some primeval forest. In our descent
we followed the line of ridges; these were exceedingly narrow, and
for considerable lengths steep as a ladder; but all clothed with
vegetation. The extreme care necessary in poising each step rendered
the walk fatiguing. I am never weary of expressing my astonishment at
these ravines and precipices: the mountains may almost be described,
as rent by so many crevices. When viewing the surrounding country
from the knife-edged ridges, the point of support was so small, that
the effect was nearly the same, I should think, as from a balloon. In
this descent we had occasion to use the ropes only once, at the point
where we entered the main valley. We slept under the same ledge of
rock, where, the day before, we had dined: the night was fine, but
from the depth and narrowness of the gorge, profoundly dark.
Before actually seeing this country, I had difficulty in
understanding two facts mentioned by Ellis; namely, that after the
murderous battles of former times, the survivors on the conquered
side retired into the mountains, where a handful of men could resist
a multitude. Certainly half-a-dozen men, at the spot where the
Tahitian reared the old tree, could easily have repulsed thousands.
Secondly, that after the introduction of Christianity, there were
wild men who lived in the mountains, and whose retreats were unknown
to the more civilized inhabitants.
NOVEMBER 20TH.--In the morning we started early, and reached Matavai
at noon. On the road we met a large party of noble athletic men,
going for wild bananas. I found that the ship, on account of the
difficulty in watering, had moved to the harbour of Papawa, to which
place I immediately walked. This is a very pretty spot. The cove
is surrounded by reefs, and the water as smooth as that in a lake.
The cultivated ground, with all its beautiful productions, and the
cottages, comes close down to the water’s edge.
From the varying accounts which I had read before reaching these
islands, I was very anxious to form, from my own observation,
a judgment of their moral state--although such judgment would
necessarily be very imperfect. A first impression at all times
very much depends on one’s previously-acquired ideas. My notions
were drawn from Ellis’s “Polynesian Researches”--an admirable and
most interesting work, but naturally looking at every thing under
a favourable point of view; from Beechey’s Voyage; and from that
of Kotzebue, which is strongly adverse to the whole missionary
system. He who compares these three accounts, will, I think, form a
tolerably accurate conception of the present state of Tahiti. One
of my impressions, which I took from the two last authorities, was
decidedly incorrect; viz., that the Tahitians had become a gloomy
race, and lived in fear of the missionaries. Of the latter feeling I
saw no trace, unless, indeed, fear and respect be confounded under
one name. Instead of discontent being a common feeling, it would be
difficult in Europe to pick out of a crowd half so many merry and
happy faces. The prohibition of the flute and dancing is inveighed
against as wrong and foolish;--the more than presbyterian manner of
keeping the sabbath, is looked at in a similar light. On these points
I will not pretend to offer any opinion in opposition to men who have
resided as many years as I was days on the island.
On the whole it appears to me, that the morality and religion of
the inhabitants is highly creditable. There are many who attack,
even more acrimoniously than Kotzebue, both the missionaries, their
system, and the effects produced by it. Such reasoners never compare
the present state with that of the island only twenty years ago; nor
even with that of Europe at this day; but they compare it with the
high standard of Gospel perfection. They expect the missionaries
to effect that, which the Apostles themselves failed to do. In as
much as the condition of the people falls short of this high order,
blame is attached to the missionary, instead of credit for that
which he has effected. They forget, or will not remember, that human
sacrifices, and the power of an idolatrous priesthood--a system of
profligacy unparalleled in the world, and infanticide a consequence
on that system--bloody wars, where the conquerors spared neither
women nor children--that all these have been abolished; and that
dishonesty, intemperance, and licentiousness have been greatly
reduced by the introduction of Christianity. In a voyager to forget
these things is base ingratitude; for should he chance to be at the
point of shipwreck on some unknown coasts he will most devoutly pray
that the lesson of the missionary may be found to have extended thus
far.
In point of morality the virtue of the women, it has been often said,
is most open to exception. But before they are blamed too severely,
it will be well distinctly to call to mind the scenes described by
Captain Cook and Mr. Banks, in which the grandmothers and mothers of
the present race played a part. Those who are most severe, should
consider how much of the morality of the women in Europe is owing to
the system early impressed by mothers on their daughters, and how
much in each individual case to the precepts of religion. But it is
useless to argue against such reasoners:--I believe that disappointed
in not finding the field of licentiousness quite so open as formerly,
they will not give credit to a morality which they do not wish to
practice, or to a religion which they undervalue, if not despise.
SUNDAY 22D.--The harbour of Papiete, which may be considered as the
capital of the island, is about seven miles distant from Matavai,
to which point the Beagle had returned. The queen resides there,
and it is the seat of government, and the chief resort of shipping.
Captain FitzRoy took a party there to hear divine service, first in
the Tahitian language, and afterwards in our own. Mr. Pritchard, the
leading missionary in the island, performed the service, which was
a most interesting spectacle. The chapel consisted of a large airy
framework of wood; and it was filled to excess by tidy, clean people,
of all ages and both sexes. I was rather disappointed in the apparent
degree of attention; but I believe my expectations were raised too
high. At all events the appearance was quite equal to that in a
country church in England. The singing of the hymns was decidedly
very pleasing; but the language from the pulpit, although fluently
delivered, did not sound well. A constant repetition of words,
like “_tata ta, mata mai_,” rendered it monotonous. After English
service, a party returned on foot to Matavai. It was a pleasant walk,
sometimes along the sea-beach and sometimes under the shade of the
many beautiful trees.
About two years ago, a small vessel under English colours was
plundered by the inhabitants of the Low Islands, which were then
under the dominion of the Queen of Tahiti. It was believed that the
perpetrators were instigated to this act by some indiscreet laws
issued by her majesty. The British government demanded compensation;
which was acceded to, and a sum of nearly three thousand dollars was
agreed to be paid on the first of last September. The commodore at
Lima ordered Captain FitzRoy, to inquire concerning this debt, and to
demand satisfaction if it were not paid. Captain FitzRoy accordingly
requested an interview with the queen: and a parliament was held
to consider the question; at which all the principal chiefs of the
island and the queen were assembled. I will not attempt to describe
what took place, after the interesting account given by Captain
FitzRoy. The money it appeared had not been paid. Perhaps the alleged
reasons for the failure were rather equivocating: but otherwise I
cannot sufficiently express our general surprise, at the extreme
good sense, the reasoning powers, moderation, candour, and prompt
resolution, which were displayed on all sides. I believe every one of
us left the meeting with a very different opinion of the Tahitians,
from that which we entertained when entering. The chiefs and people
resolved to subscribe and complete the sum which was wanting: Captain
FitzRoy urged that it was hard that their private property should be
sacrificed for the crimes of distant islanders. They replied, that
they were grateful for his consideration, but that Pomarre was their
Queen, and they were determined to help her in this her difficulty.
This resolution and its prompt execution (for a book was opened early
the next morning), made a perfect conclusion to this very remarkable
scene of loyalty and good feeling.
After the main discussion was ended, several of the chiefs took the
opportunity of asking Captain FitzRoy many intelligent questions,
concerning international customs and laws. These related to the
treatment of ships and foreigners. On some points, as soon as the
decision was made, the law was issued verbally on the spot. This
Tahitian parliament lasted for several hours; and when it was over
Captain FitzRoy invited the queen to pay the Beagle a visit.
NOVEMBER 26TH.--In the evening, with a gentle land-breeze, a course
was steered for New Zealand, and as the sun set we took a farewell
look at the mountains of Tahiti,--the island to which every voyager
has offered up his tribute of admiration.
DECEMBER 19TH.--In the evening we saw New Zealand in the distance.
We may now consider ourselves as having nearly crossed the Pacific
ocean. It is necessary to sail over this great sea to understand
its immensity. Moving quickly onwards for weeks together we meet
with nothing, but the same blue, profoundly deep, ocean. Even within
the Archipelagoes, the islands are mere specks, and far distant
one from the other. Accustomed to look at maps, drawn on a small
scale, where dots, shading, and names are crowded together, we do
not judge rightly how infinitely small the proportion of dry land
is to the water of this great sea. The meridian of the Antipodes
likewise has now been passed; and every league, thanks to our good
fortune, which we travel onwards, is one league nearer to England.
These Antipodes call to mind old recollections of childish doubt and
wonder. Only the other day, I looked forward to this airy barrier,
as a definite point in our voyage homewards; but now I find it, and
all such resting-places for the imagination, are like shadows which
a man moving onwards cannot catch. A gale of wind, which lasted for
some days, has lately given us time and inclination to measure the
future stages in our long voyage, and to wish most earnestly for its
termination.
DECEMBER 21ST.--Early in the morning we entered the Bay of Islands,
and being becalmed for some hours near the mouth, we did not reach
the anchorage till the middle of the day. The country is hilly, but
with a smooth outline; and it is deeply intersected by numerous arms,
extending from the bay. The surface appears from a distance, as if
clothed with coarse pasture, but this in truth is nothing but fern.
On the more distant hills, as well as in patches in some of the
valleys, there is a good deal of woodland. The general tint of the
landscape is not a bright green; and it resembles the country a short
distance to the southward of Concepcion in Chile. In several parts of
the bay, little villages of square tidy-looking houses were scattered
close down to the water’s edge. Three whaling ships were lying at
anchor; but with the exception of these, and of a few canoes, now
and then crossing from one shore to the other, an air of extreme
quietness reigned over the whole district. Only a single canoe
came alongside. This, and the aspect of the whole scene, afforded
a remarkable, and not very pleasing contrast, with our joyful and
boisterous welcome at Tahiti.
In the afternoon we went on shore to one of the larger groups of
houses, which yet hardly deserves the title of a village. Its name
is Pahia: it is the residence of the missionaries; and with the
exception of their servants and labourers, there are no native
residents. In the vicinity of the Bay of Islands, the number of
Englishmen, including their families, amounts to between two and
three hundred. All the cottages, many of which are white washed,
and look as I have said very neat, are the property of the English.
The hovels of the natives are so diminutive and paltry, that they
can scarcely be perceived from any distance. At Pahia, it was quite
pleasing to behold the English flowers in the platforms before the
houses; there were roses of several kinds, honeysuckle, jasmine,
stocks, and whole hedges of sweetbriar.
DECEMBER 22D.--In the morning I went out walking; but I soon found,
that the country was very impracticable. All the hills are thickly
covered by tall fern, together with a low bush which grows like
a cypress; and very little ground has been cleared or cultivated
in this neighbourhood. I then tried the sea-beach; but proceeding
towards either hand, my walk was soon stopped short, by creeks
and deep streams of fresh water. The communication between the
inhabitants of the different parts of the bay, is (as in Chiloe)
almost entirely kept up by boats. I was surprised to find that almost
every hill, which I ascended, had been at some former time more
or less fortified. The summits were cut into steps or successive
terraces, and they had been frequently protected by deep trenches. I
afterwards observed that the principal hills inland, in like manner
showed an artificial outline. These are the Pas, so frequently
mentioned by Captain Cook under the name of “hippah”; the difference
of sound being owing to the prefixed article.
That the Pas had formerly been used, was evident from the piles of
shells, and the pits in which, as I was informed, sweet potatoes
were kept as reserved provisions. As there was no water on these
hills, the defenders could never have anticipated a long siege, but
only a hurried attack for plunder; under which circumstances the
successive terraces would have afforded good protection. The general
introduction of fire-arms has changed the whole system of warfare;
and an exposed situation on the top of a hill would now be worse
than useless. The Pas in consequence, is at the present day, always
built on a level piece of ground. It consists of a double stockade
of thick and tall posts, placed in a zigzag line, so that every part
can be flanked. Within the stockade a mound of earth is thrown up,
behind which the defenders can rest in safety, or use their fire-arms
over it. On the level of the ground, little archways sometimes pass
through this breastwork, by which means the defenders can crawl out
to the stockade, to reconnoitre their enemies. The Rev. W. Williams,
who gave me this account, added, that in one Pas he had noticed spurs
or buttresses projecting from the inside of the mound of earth. On
asking the chief the use of them, he replied, that if two or three of
his men should be shot their neighbours would not see the bodies, and
so be discouraged.
These Pases are considered by the New Zealanders as very perfect
means of defence: for the attacking force is never so well
disciplined as to rush in a body to the stockade, cut it down, and
effect their entry. When a tribe goes to war, the chief cannot order
one party to go here, and another there; but every man fights in the
manner which best pleases himself; and for individuals to approach a
stockade defended by fire-arms, must appear certain death. I should
think a more warlike race of inhabitants could not be found in any
part of the world, than the New Zealanders. Their conduct on first
seeing a ship, as described by Captain Cook, strongly illustrates
this: the act of throwing volleys of stones at so great and novel
an object, and their defiance, of “Come on shore and we will kill
and eat you all,” shows uncommon boldness. This warlike spirit is
evident in many of their customs, and even in their smallest actions.
If a New Zealander is struck, although but in joke, the blow must be
returned; and of this I saw an instance with one of our officers.
At the present day, from the progress of civilization, there is
much less warfare. When Europeans first traded here, muskets and
ammunition far exceeded in value any other article: now they are in
little request, and are indeed often offered for sale. Among some of
the southern tribes, however, there is still much hostility. I heard
a characteristic anecdote of what took place there some time ago. A
missionary found a chief and his tribe in preparation for war;--their
muskets clean and bright, and their ammunition ready. He reasoned
long on the inutility of the war, and the little provocation which
had been given for it. The chief was much shaken in his resolution,
and seemed in doubt: but at length it occurred to him, that a barrel
of his gunpowder was in a bad state, and that it would not keep much
longer. This was brought forward as an unanswerable argument for the
necessity of immediately declaring war: the idea of allowing so much
good gunpowder to spoil was not to be thought of; and this settled
the point.
I was told by the missionaries, that in the life of Shongi, the chief
who visited England, the love of war was the one and lasting spring
of every action. The tribe in which he was a principal chief, had
at one time been much oppressed, by another from the Thames river. A
solemn oath was taken by the men, that when their boys should grow
up, and they should be powerful enough, they would never forget or
forgive these injuries. To fulfil this appears to have been Shongi’s
chief motive for going to England; and when there it was his sole
object. Presents were valued only as they could be converted into
arms; of the arts, those alone were interesting, which were concerned
with the manufacture of arms. When at Sydney, Shongi, by a strange
coincidence, met the hostile chief of the Thames river at the house
of Mr. Marsden: their conduct was civil to each other; but Shongi
told him, that when again in New Zealand he would never cease to
carry war into his country. The challenge was accepted; and Shongi
on his return fulfilled the threat to the utmost letter. The tribe
on the Thames river was utterly overthrown, and the chief to whom
the challenge had been given, was himself killed. Shongi, although
harbouring such deep feelings of hatred and revenge, is described as
having been a goodnatured person.
In the evening I went with Captain FitzRoy, and Mr. Baker, one of
the missionaries, to pay a visit to Kororadika. This is the largest
village, and will one day, no doubt increase till it becomes the
chief town: besides a considerable native population, there are
many English residents. These latter are men of the most worthless
character: and among them are many runaway convicts from New South
Wales. There are many spirit-shops; and the whole population is
addicted to drunkenness and all kinds of vice. As this is the
capital, a person would be inclined to form his opinion of the New
Zealanders from what he here saw; but in this case his estimate of
their character would be too low. This little village is the very
stronghold of vice. Although many tribes in other parts have embraced
Christianity, here the greater part yet remain in heathenism. In such
places the missionaries are held in little esteem: but they complain
far more of the conduct of their countrymen, than of that of the
natives. It is strange, but I have heard these worthy men say, that
the only protection which they need, and on which they rely, is from
the native chiefs against Englishmen.
We wandered about the village, and saw and conversed with many of the
people, both men, women, and children. Looking at the New Zealander,
one naturally compares him with the Tahitian; both belonging to
the same family of mankind. The comparison, however, tells heavily
against the New Zealander. He may, perhaps, be superior in energy,
but in every other respect, his character is of a much lower order.
One glance at their respective expressions, brings conviction to
the mind, that one is a savage, the other a civilized man. It
would be vain to seek in the whole of New Zealand, a person with
the face and mien of the old Tahitian chief, Utamme. No doubt the
extraordinary manner in which tattooing is here practised, gives a
disagreeable expression to their countenances. The complicated but
symmetrical figures covering the whole face, puzzle and mislead an
unaccustomed eye: it is moreover probable, that the deep incisions,
by destroying the play of the superficial muscles, give an air of
rigid inflexibility. But besides this, there is a twinkling in the
eye, which cannot indicate any thing but cunning and ferocity. Their
figures are tall and bulky; but in elegance are not comparable with
those of the working classes in Tahiti.
Both their persons and houses are filthily dirty and offensive: the
idea of washing either their bodies or their clothes never seems
to enter their heads. I saw a chief, who was wearing a shirt black
and matted with filth; and when asked how it came to be so dirty,
he replied, with surprise, “Do not you see it is an old one?” Some
of the men have shirts; but the common dress is one or two large
blankets, generally black with dirt, which are thrown over their
shoulders in a very inconvenient and awkward fashion. A few of the
principal chiefs have decent suits of English clothes; but these are
only worn on great occasions.
Considering the number of foreigners residing in New Zealand, and
the amount of commerce carried on there, the state of government of
the country is most remarkable. It is, however, incorrect to use the
term government, where absolutely no such thing exists. The land
is divided, by well-determined boundaries, between various tribes,
independent of each other. The individuals in each tribe consist of
freemen, and slaves taken in war; and the land is common to all the
free born; that is, each may occupy and till any part that is vacant.
In a sale, therefore, of land, every such person must receive part
payment. Among the freemen, there will always be some one, who from
riches, from talents, or from descent from some noted character, will
take the lead; and in this respect he may be considered as the chief.
But if the united tribe should be asked, who was their chief, no one
would be acknowledged. Without doubt, in many cases, individuals have
obtained great influence; but as far as I can understand the system,
their power is not legitimate. Even the authority of a master over
his slave, or a parent over his child, appears to be regulated by no
kind of ordinary custom. Proper laws of course are quite unknown:
certain lines of action are generally considered right, and others
wrong: if such customs are infringed, the injured person and his
tribe, if they have power, seek retribution; if not, they treasure
up the recollection of the injury till the day of revenge arrives.
If the state in which the Fuegians live should be fixed at zero in
the scale of government, I am afraid New Zealand would rank but a few
degrees higher; while Tahiti, even when first discovered, would have
occupied a respectable position.
DECEMBER 23D.--At a place called Waimate, about fifteen miles from
the Bay of Islands, and midway between the eastern and western
coasts, the missionaries have purchased some land for agricultural
purposes. I had been introduced to the Rev. W. Williams, who, upon my
expressing the wish, invited me to pay him a visit there. Mr. Bushby,
the British Resident, offered to take me in his boat by a creek,
where I should see a pretty waterfall, and by which means my walk
would be shortened. He likewise procured for me a guide. Upon asking
a neighbouring chief to recommend a man, the chief himself offered
to go; but his ignorance of the value of money was so complete, that
at first he asked how many pounds I would give him; but, afterwards
was well contented with two dollars. When I showed the chief a very
small bundle, which I wanted carried, it became absolutely necessary
to take a slave for that purpose. These feelings of pride are
beginning to wear away; but formerly a leading man would sooner have
died than undergone the indignity of carrying the smallest burden.
My companion was a light active man, dressed in a dirty blanket,
and with his face completely tattooed. He had formerly been a great
warrior. He appeared to be on very cordial terms with Mr. Bushby; but
at various times they had quarrelled violently. Mr. Bushby remarked
that a little quiet irony would frequently silence any one of these
natives in their most blustering moments. This chief has come and
harangued Mr. Bushby in a hectoring manner, saying, “A great chief,
a great man, a friend of mine, has come to pay me a visit--you must
give him something good to eat, some fine presents, &c.” Mr. Bushby
has allowed him to finish his discourse, and then has quietly replied
by some such answer as, “What else shall your slave do for you?” The
man would then instantly, with a very comical expression, cease his
braggadocio.
Some time ago, Mr. Bushby suffered a far more serious attack. A chief
and a party of men tried to break into his house in the middle of
the night, and not finding this so easy, commenced a brisk firing
with their muskets. Mr. Bushby was slightly wounded; but the party
was at length driven away. Shortly afterwards it was discovered who
was the aggressor; and a general meeting of the chiefs was convened
to consider the case. It was considered by the New Zealanders as
very atrocious, inasmuch as it was a night attack, and that Mrs.
Bushby was lying ill in the house: this latter circumstance, much to
their honour, being considered in all cases as a protection. The
chiefs agreed to confiscate the land of the aggressor to the King of
England. The whole proceeding, however, in thus trying and punishing
a chief was entirely without precedent. The aggressor, moreover, lost
cast in the estimation of his equals; and this was considered by the
British as of more consequence, than the confiscation of his land.
As the boat was shoving off, a second chief stepped into her, who
only wanted the amusement of the passage up and down the creek. I
never saw a more horrid and ferocious expression, than this man had.
It immediately struck me, I had somewhere seen his likeness: it will
be found in Retzsch’s outlines to Schiller’s ballad of Fridolin,
where two men are pushing Robert into the burning iron furnace. It is
the man who has his arm on Robert’s breast. Physiognomy here spoke
the truth; this chief had been a notorious murderer, and was to boot
an arrant coward. At the point where the boat landed, Mr. Bushby
accompanied me a few hundred yards on the road: I could not help
admiring the cool impudence of the hoary old villain, whom we left
lying in the boat, when he shouted to Mr. Bushby, “Do not you stay
long, I shall be tired of waiting here.”
We now commenced our walk. The road lay along a well-beaten path,
bordered on each side by the tall fern, which covers the whole
country. After travelling some miles, we came to a little country
village, where a few hovels were collected together, and some patches
of ground cultivated for potato crops. The introduction of the
potato, has been the most essential benefit to the island; it is now
much more used, than any native vegetable. New Zealand is favoured
by one great natural advantage; namely, that the inhabitants can
never perish from famine. The whole country abounds with fern; and
the roots of this plant, if not very palatable, yet contain much
nutriment. A native can always subsist on these, and on the shells
which are abundant on all parts of the sea-coast. The villages are
chiefly conspicuous, by the platforms which are raised on four posts
ten or twelve feet above the ground, and on which the produce of the
fields is kept secure from all accidents.
On coming near one of the huts, I was much amused by seeing in due
form the ceremony of rubbing, or as it should more properly be
called, pressing noses. The women, on our first approach, began
uttering something in a most dolorous voice; they then squatted
themselves down and held up their faces; my companions standing
over them, placed the bridge of their own noses at right angles to
theirs, and commenced pressing. This lasted rather longer than a
cordial shake of the hand would with us; and as we vary the force of
the grasp of the hand in shaking, so do they in pressing. During the
process they uttered comfortable little grunts, very much in the same
manner as two pigs do, when rubbing against each other. I noticed,
that the slave would press noses with any one he met, indifferently
either before or after his master the chief. Although among savages
the chief has absolute power of life and death over his slave, yet
there is an entire absence of ceremony between them. Mr. Burchell
has remarked the same thing in Southern Africa with respect to the
rude Bachapins. Where civilization has arrived at a certain point, as
among the Tahitians, complex formalities are soon instituted between
the different grades of society. For instance, in the above island,
formerly all were obliged to uncover themselves as low as the waist
in presence of the king.
The ceremony of pressing noses having been completed with all
present, we seated ourselves in a circle in the front of one of the
houses, and rested there half an hour. All the native hovels which I
have seen, have nearly the same form and dimensions, and all agree
in being filthily dirty. They resemble a cow-shed with one end open,
but having a partition a little way within, with a square hole in it,
which thus cuts off a part, and makes a small gloomy chamber. In this
the inhabitants keep all their property, and when the weather is
cold they sleep there. They eat, however, and pass their time in the
open part in front.
My guides having finished their pipes, we continued our walk. The
path led through the same undulating country, the whole uniformly
clothed as before with fern. On our right hand, we had a serpentine
river, the banks of which were fringed with trees, and here and
there on the hill-sides there were clumps of wood. The whole scene,
in spite of its green colour, bore rather a desolate aspect. The
sight of so much fern impresses the mind with an idea of sterility.
This, however, is not the case; for wherever the fern grows thick
and breast-high, the land by tillage becomes productive. Some of
the residents, with much probability think that all this extensive
open country was originally covered with forests, and that it has
been cleared by the aid of fire. It is said that by digging in the
barest spots, lumps of the kind of resin which flows from the kauri
pine, are frequently found. The natives had an evident motive in
thus clearing the country; for in such parts the fern, formerly so
staple an article of food, flourishes best. The almost entire absence
of associated grasses, which forms so remarkable a feature in the
vegetation of this island, may perhaps be accounted for, by the open
parts being the work of man, while nature had designed the country
for forest land.
The soil is volcanic; in several parts we passed over slaggy
and vesicular lavas, and the form of a crater could clearly be
distinguished in several of the neighbouring hills. Although the
scenery is nowhere beautiful, and only occasionally pretty, I enjoyed
my walk. I should have enjoyed it more, if my companion, the chief,
had not possessed extraordinary conversational powers. I only knew
three words; “good,” “bad,” and “yes:” and with these I answered
all his remarks, without of course having understood one word he
said. This, however, was quite sufficient: I was a good listener, an
agreeable person, and he never ceased talking to me.
At length we reached Waimate. After having passed over so many
miles of an uninhabited useless country, the sudden appearance of
an English farm-house, and its well-dressed fields, placed there as
if by an enchanter’s wand, was exceedingly pleasing. Mr. Williams
not being at home, I received in Mr. Davies’s house a cordial and
pleasant welcome. After drinking tea with his family party, we took
a stroll about the farm. At Waimate there are three large houses,
where the missionary gentlemen Messrs. Williams, Davies, and Clarke,
reside; and near them are the huts of the native labourers. On an
adjoining slope fine crops of barley and wheat in full ear were
standing; and, in another part, fields of potatoes and clover. But
I cannot attempt to describe all I saw; there were large gardens,
with every fruit and vegetable which England produces; and many
belonging to a warmer clime. I may instance, asparagus, kidney beans,
cucumbers, rhubarb, apples, pears, figs, peaches, apricots, grapes,
olives, gooseberries, currants, hops, gorze for fences, and English
oaks; also many different kinds of flowers. Around the farm-yard
there were stables, a thrashing-barn with its winnowing machine, a
blacksmith’s forge, and on the ground plough-shares and other tools:
in the middle was that happy mixture of pigs and poultry, which may
be seen so comfortably lying together in every English farm-yard. At
the distance of a few hundred yards, where the water of a little rill
was dammed up into a pool, a large and substantial water-mill had
been erected.
All this is very surprising, when it is considered, that five
years ago, nothing but the fern flourished here. Moreover, native
workmanship, taught by the missionaries, has effected this
change:--the lesson of the missionary is the enchanter’s wand. The
house has been built, the windows framed, the fields ploughed, and
even the trees grafted, by the New Zealander. At the mill, a New
Zealander may be seen powdered white with flour, like his brother
miller in England. When I looked at this whole scene, I thought it
admirable. It was not merely that England was vividly brought before
my mind; yet, as the evening drew to a close, the domestic sounds,
the fields of corn, the distant country with its trees now appearing
like pasture-land, all might well be mistaken for some part of it.
Nor was it the triumphant feeling at seeing what Englishmen could
effect, but it was something of far more consequence; the object
for which this labour had been bestowed--the moral effect on the
aborigines of this fine country.
The missionary system here appears to me different from that of
Tahiti; much more attention is there paid to religious instruction,
and to the direct improvement of the mind; here, more to the arts
of civilization. I do not doubt that in both cases, the same object
is kept in view. Judging from the success alone, I should rather
lean to the Tahiti side; probably, however, each system is best
adapted to the country where it is followed. The mind of a Tahitian
is certainly one of a higher order; and on the other hand, the New
Zealander, not being able to pluck from the tree that shades his
house the bread-fruit and banana, would naturally turn his attention
with more readiness to the arts. When comparing the state of New
Zealand with that of Tahiti, it should always be remembered, that
from the respective forms of government of the two countries, the
missionaries here have had to labour at a task, many times more
difficult. The reviewer of Mr. Earle’s travels in the Quarterly
Journal, by pointing out a more advantageous line of conduct for the
missionaries, evidently considers that too much attention has been
paid to religious instruction, in proportion to other subjects. This
opinion being so very different from the one at which I arrived, any
third person hearing the two sides, would probably conclude, that the
missionaries had been the best judges, and had chosen the right path.
Several young men were employed about the farm, who had been
brought up by the missionaries; having been redeemed by them from
slavery. They were dressed in a shirt, jacket and trousers, and
had a respectable appearance. Judging from one trifling anecdote,
I should think they must be honest. When walking in the fields,
a young labourer came up to Mr. Davies, and gave him a knife and
gimlet, saying he had found them on the road, and did not know to
whom they belonged! These young men and boys appeared very merry
and good-humoured. In the evening I saw a party of them at cricket:
when I thought of the austerity of which the missionaries have been
accused, I was amused by observing one of their own sons taking an
active part in the game. A more decided and pleasing change was
manifested in the young women, who acted as servants within the
houses. Their clean, tidy, and healthy appearance, like that of
dairy-maids in England, formed a wonderful contrast with the women of
the filthy hovels in Kororadika. The wives of the missionaries tried
to persuade them not to be tattooed; but a famous operator having
arrived from the south, they said, “We really must just have a few
lines on our lips; else when we grow old our lips will shrivel, and
we shall be so very ugly.” Tattooing is not nearly so much practised
as formerly; but as it is a badge of distinction between the chief
and the slave, it will not probably very soon be disused. So soon
does any train of ideas become habitual, that the missionaries told
me, that even in their eyes, a plain face looked mean, and not like
that of a New Zealand gentleman.
Late in the evening I went to Mr. Williams’s house, where I passed
the night. I found there a very large party of children, collected
together for Christmas-day, and all sitting round a table at tea. I
never saw a nicer or more merry group: and to think, that this was
in the centre of the land of cannibalism, murder, and all atrocious
crimes! The cordiality and happiness so plainly pictured in the faces
of the little circle, appeared equally felt by the older persons of
the mission.
DECEMBER 24TH.--In the morning, prayers were read in the native
tongue to the whole family. After breakfast, I rambled about the
gardens and farm. This was a market-day, when the natives of the
surrounding hamlets bring their potatoes, Indian corn, or pigs,
to exchange for blankets, tobacco, and sometimes, through the
persuasions of the missionaries, for soap. Mr. Davies’s eldest son,
who manages a farm of his own, is the man of business in the market.
The children of the missionaries, who came while young to the island,
understand the language better than their parents, and can get any
thing more readily done by the natives.
A little before noon, Messrs. Williams and Davies walked with me to
part of a neighbouring forest, to show me the famous Kauri pines. I
measured one of these noble trees, in a part which was not enlarged
near the roots, and found it to be thirty-one feet in circumference.
There was another close by, which I did not see, thirty-three; and
I heard of one, no less than forty feet. The trunks are also very
remarkable from their smoothness, cylindrical figure, absence of
branches, and having very nearly the same girth through a length
from sixty to even ninety feet. The crown of this tree, where it is
irregularly branched, is small, and out of proportion to the trunk;
and the foliage is likewise diminutive as compared with the branches.
The forest in this part was almost composed of the Kauri; and the
largest, from the parallelism of their sides, stood up like gigantic
columns of wood. The timber of this tree is the most valuable product
of the island: moreover, a quantity of resin oozes from the bark,
which is collected and sold at a penny a pound to the Americans, but
its use is kept secret.
On the outskirts of the wood, I saw the New Zealand flax growing
in the swamps: this is the second most valuable export. This plant
somewhat resembles (but not botanically) the common iris; the under
surface of the leaf is lined by a layer of strong silky fibres;
and the upper consists of green vegetable matter, which is scraped
off with a broken shell, and the hemp remains in the hand of the
workwoman. In the forest, besides the kauri, there are some other
fine timber trees. I saw numbers of beautiful tree-ferns, and was
told of palms. Some of the New Zealand forests must be impenetrable
to an extraordinary degree. Mr. Matthews gave me an account of one,
which, although only thirty-four miles wide, and separating two
inhabited districts, like the central forest of Chiloe; had never
been passed until lately. He and another missionary, each with a
party of about fifty men, undertook to open a road: but it cost them
more than a fortnight’s labour! In the woods I saw very few birds.
With regard to animals, it is a most remarkable fact, that so large
an island, extending over more than 700 miles in latitude, and in
many parts ninety broad, with varied stations, a fine climate, and
land of all heights, from 14,000 feet downwards, with the exception
of a small rat, should not possess one indigenous animal. It is
moreover said, that the introduction of the common Norway kind,
has annihilated from the northern extremity of the island, the New
Zealand species, in the short space of two years. In many places I
noticed several sorts of weeds, which, like the rats, I was forced
to own as countrymen. A leek, however, which has overrun whole
districts, and will be very troublesome, was imported lately by the
favour of a French vessel. The common dock is widely disseminated,
and will, I am afraid, for ever remain a proof of the rascality of an
Englishman, who sold the seeds for those of the tobacco-plant.
On returning from our pleasant walk to the houses, I dined with Mr.
Williams; and then, a horse being lent me, I returned to the Bay of
Islands. I took leave of the missionaries, with thankfulness for
their kind welcome, and with feelings of high respect for their
gentleman-like, useful, and upright characters. I think it would be
difficult to find a body of men better adapted for the high office
which they fulfil.
CHRISTMAS-DAY.--In a few more days, the fourth year of our absence
from England will be completed. Our first Christmas-day was spent at
Plymouth; the second at St. Martin’s Cove, near Cape Horn; the third
at Port Desire, in Patagonia; the fourth at anchor in a harbour in
the Peninsula of Tres Montes; this fifth here; and the next, I trust
in providence, will be in England. We attended divine service in the
chapel of Pahia; part of the service was read in English, and part in
the New Zealand language.
As far as I was able to understand, the greater number of people
in this northern part of the island profess Christianity. It is
curious, that the religion even of those who do not profess it, has
been modified and is now partly Christian, partly heathen. Moreover,
so excellent is the Christian faith, that the outward conduct even
of the unbelievers is said to have been decidedly improved by the
spread of its doctrines. It is beyond doubt, however, that much
immorality still exists;--that there are many who would not hesitate
to kill a slave for a trifling offence; and that polygamy is still
common,--indeed, I believe, general.
We did not hear of any recent act of cannibalism; but Mr. Stokes
found burnt human bones, strewed round an old fireplace, on a small
island near the anchorage: these remains of some quiet banquet might,
indeed, have been lying there for several years. Notwithstanding
the above facts, it is probable that the moral state of the people
will rapidly improve. Mr. Bushby mentioned one pleasing anecdote as
a proof of the sincerity of some, at least, of those who profess
Christianity. One of his young men left him, who had been accustomed
to read prayers to the rest of the servants. Some weeks afterwards,
happening to pass late in the evening by an outhouse, he saw and
heard one of his men reading the bible with difficulty, by the light
of the fire, to the others. After this, the party knelt and prayed:
in their prayers they mentioned Mr. Bushby and his family, and the
missionaries, each separately in his respective district.
DECEMBER 26TH.--Mr. Bushby offered to take Mr. Sulivan and myself
in his boat, some miles up the river to Cawa-Cawa; and proposed
afterwards to walk on to the village of Waiomio, where there are some
curious rocks. Following one of the arms of the bay, we enjoyed a
pleasant row, and passed through pretty scenery, until we came to a
village, beyond which the boat could not proceed. From this place a
chief and a party of men volunteered to walk with us to Waiomio, a
distance of four miles. The chief was at this time rather notorious,
from having lately hung one of his wives and a slave, for adultery.
When one of the missionaries remonstrated with him, he seemed
surprised, and said he thought he was exactly following the English
method. Old Shongi, who happened to be in England during the Queen’s
trial, expressed great disapprobation at the whole proceeding: he
said he had five wives, and he would rather cut off all their heads,
than be so much troubled about one. Leaving this village, we crossed
over to another, seated on a hill-side at a little distance. The
daughter of a chief, who was still a heathen, had died here five days
before. The hovel in which she had expired had been burnt to the
ground: her body being enclosed between two small canoes was placed
upright on the ground, and protected by an enclosure bearing wooden
images of their gods, and the whole was painted bright red, so as to
be conspicuous from afar. Her gown was fastened to the coffin, and
her hair being cut off was cast at its foot. The relatives of the
family had torn the flesh of their arms, bodies, and faces, so that
they were covered with clotted blood; and the old women looked most
filthy, disgusting objects. On the following day some of the officers
visited this place, and found the women still howling and cutting
themselves.
We continued our walk, and soon reached Waiomio. Here there are
some singular masses of limestone, resembling ruined castles. These
rocks have long served for burial-places, and in consequence are
held sacred. One of the young men cried out, “Let us all be brave,”
and ran on ahead; but when within a hundred yards, the whole party
thought better of it, and stopped short. With perfect indifference,
however, they allowed us to examine the whole place. At this village
we rested some hours, during which time there was a long discussion
with Mr. Bushby, concerning the right of sale of certain lands.
One old man, who appeared a perfect genealogist, illustrated the
successive possessors by bits of stick driven into the ground. Before
leaving the houses, a little basketful of roasted sweet potatoes was
given to each of our party; and we all, according to the custom,
carried them away to eat on the road. I noticed that among the women
employed in cooking, there was a man-slave: it must be an humiliating
thing for a man in this warlike country to be employed in doing
that which is considered as the lowest woman’s work. Slaves are not
allowed to go to war; but this perhaps can hardly be considered as
a hardship. I heard of one poor wretch who, during hostilities, ran
away to the opposite party; being met by two men, he was immediately
seized; but they not agreeing to whom he should belong, each stood
over him with a stone hatchet, and seemed determined that the other
at least should not take him away alive. The poor man, almost dead
with fright, was only saved by the address of a chief’s wife. We
afterwards enjoyed a pleasant walk back to the boat, but did not
reach the ship till late in the evening.
DECEMBER 30TH.--In the afternoon we stood out of the Bay of Islands
on our course to Sydney. I believe we were all glad to leave New
Zealand. It is not a pleasant place. Amongst the natives there is
absent that charming simplicity which is found at Tahiti; and the
greater part of the English are the very refuse of society. Neither
is the country itself attractive. I look back but to one bright spot,
and that is Waimate, with its Christian inhabitants.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] The similarity is not closer than between the capital of a
Corinthian column and a tuft of acanthus.